CELTIC star Charlie Mulgrew and his wife Alana have been charged with child neglect, the Sunday Mail can reveal.

It follows an incident when bra tycoon Michelle Mone accused them of leaving a baby in a car in sub-zero temperatures while they went shopping three days before Christmas.

Mulgrew, 24, and 22-year-old Alana have already hired a top legal team to defend them if the case comes to court.

The couple have denied to friends that they did anything wrong but now face the prospect of a criminal trial later this year where Mone would probably be called as a witness.

A source close to the couple said: "Th e pair of them are devastated but are preparing for the likelihood of a court case.

"They deny any wrongdoing whatsoever - they had the car in sight at all times and it was locked because the baby was sleeping.

"It has been very stressful but Charlie has tried to concentrate on his football."

Mulgrew met with his legal team to discuss the case last week. Last night, their lawyer Paul McBride QC confirmed he had been instructed but refused to comment further.

A Crown Office spokesman said yesterday: "The procurator fiscal at Glasgow received a report concerning a 24-year-old male and a 22-year-old female in connection with an alleged i ncident on December 22, 2010.

"The report is under consideration."

A Strathclyde Police spokesman confirmed the couple had been charged .

Officers were originally called to the Costco car park, at Springburn, Glasgow, on December 22 last month, after they were alerted by Mone, owner of the Ultimo lingerie firm.

Mone was also shopping in the store when she saw the baby boy in Mulgrew's vehicle but did not realise the tot was in the care of the Celtic star.

Mulgrew, 24, and Alana, 22, from Kirkintilloch, were questioned by police at the time.

The Sunday Mail can reveal. that they have been cautioned then charged under section 12 of the Children and Young Persons Act.

McBride also represented Rangers keeper Allan McGregor last year in successfully contesting allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in a Glasgow flat in November 2009.

Prosecutors decided to take no action against McGregor and two other men because of a lack of evidence. They were never charged. McBride also acted for Tommy Sheridan's wife Gail in securing her acquittal last month on perjury charges.

Though her husband was subsequently convicted of lying, all charges were dropped agains Gail. Mulgrew signed for Celtic from Aberdeen at the start of the season and played in his team's 2-0 victory against rivals Rangers last Sunday. He and partner Alana have always insisted the claims over the toddler at Costco were a "big misunderstanding".

They told police they were just popping into the store for a short time and always had an eye on the car. The baby was checked over by paramedics at the time but did not require treatment.

After the incident, Lingerie tycoon Michelle insisted on her Twitter page that she had no regrets about calling the police.

She later tweeted: "Myself, Laura and store staff were extremely concerned about a baby left in a car, not in sight of front door & car alarm going off .

"Time passed & we all decided to call the police. Turning back the clock I'd do it all again. "Sometime you think in many ways 'What If '.